WADA removes Kenya from doping non-compliance list

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has said it has removed Kenya from its list of anti-doping code violators.

WADA declared Kenya in breach of global anti-doping rules in May after a series of drugs and corruption scandals, reports Sputnik.

The decision was made a month after the country had passed a bill to set up a new national anti-doping agency, creating a legal basis for a national agency and introducing criminal sanctions for the use and supply of doping.

"Following a circular vote of its foundation board members, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) wishes to announce that it has removed the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) from the list of signatories previously deemed non-compliant with the 2015 World Anti-Doping Code (the Code). Kenya has drafted and adopted anti-doping legislation now deemed to be in line with the Code," WADA said in a statement on Thursday.

Previously, WADA said that 36 Kenyan athletes were accused of using banned substances between 1993 and April 2014.

The figure later increased, with over 40 Kenyan athletes disqualified over the past three years for violating the anti-doping code.

Until Thursday's decision, Kenyan participation in the coming 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro was in jeopardy.

--IANS

sam/dg